Plug and plate for waterproofing and method for using same

ABSTRACT

An open vent plug minimizes blockage within a second hole drilled in a basement wall to minimize back pressure within the wall and insure ventilation through cells within the wall to drive water into a bleeder hole. The open vent port has a hole therethrough that forms an opening joining the cells and atmosphere. The vent port preferably has a screened opening at one or both ends to prevent debris from blocking the second hole, and sidewalls of the open vent port prevent the wall from crumbling into the hole and blocking airflow therethrough.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.11/499,581 filed Aug. 4, 2006.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The filed of the invention is waterproofing at- and below-grade rooms.

BACKGROUND

Ground and below-ground floors and walls often suffer water damage aswater flows through the ground and into the walls and floors. This waterflow at best causes dampness, and at worst, can shift a foundation orcause a catastrophic wall or floor cave-in. Between these two extremeslie the more common water damage effects like mildew, rot, and otherproperty damage.

Water seepage into an underground basement often results from foundationsettling. Some parts of the soil footing that the foundation rests uponmay be weaker than others, and the result is an uneven distribution of astructure's weight, often stressing the wall and causing cracks, whichcreate an entrance place for moisture.

This water seepage may be the result of heavy ground moisture. Areas inwhich clay subsoils, high water tables, or other poor drainageconditions can result in a tremendous hydrostatic force exerted by waterin the ground that drives the water through a block wall's pores.

Solving these moisture seepage problems, particularly in below-groundrooms like basements, is the business of many companies. Their specialtyis helping property-owners assess the sources of the water and sealagainst the water or redirect it.

The sealing solutions prevent the water's egress into the basement bysealing the basement walls and floor. For example, simply coating theinterior of the basement wall is a common homeowner's solution that isunfortunately often ineffective because the coatings alone cannotwithstand the hydrostatic pressure created by the water.

Another sealing solution includes using membranes along the outsidesurface of a basement wall. These membranes generally comprise fabric,tar, or asphalt that are disposed on the outside wall as a layer. Thissystem is relatively expensive.

Another sealing example involves coating of waterproofing to the outsidesurface of the basement wall. Such a coating involves the use ofbituminous emulsion or mastic without a membrane. The biggestdisadvantage of this system is that its reliability diminishes under anextended and substantial hydrostatic pressure.

Solutions involving redirecting water can be done by rerouting gutters,grading the land outside the enclosed space, and installing exteriordrains and runoffs.

More effective redirection involves capturing the incoming water anddirecting it from inside the basement to outside the basement. Such awater removal technique involves a series of common steps discussed withreference to FIG. 1, in which the interior of the basement is shown tothe left of the wall 42, and the exterior is shown to the right of thewall 42.

First, an existing basement concrete floor 40 is removed to form atrench 44 adjacent the wall 42's edge. This trench 44 is usually formedapproximately 12 inches from the wall 42's edge and parallels thebasement's interior wall 42 to form the trench 44 for a drain, describedin a subsequent step. (The wall 42 is shown as resting on a footer 64.)

Second, once dug out, the blocks 42 facing below the floor 40 are bledby drilling bleeder holes 46 through the block walls 42 into the corepocket/cell 48 (and into the mortar joints between the blocks) to removeexcess water trapped therein.

Third, and depending on the type of wall material, the walls 42 may betreated with coatings 60 and/or a wallboard 62 may be installed over theblock wall 42.

Fourth, the trench 44 is filled with washed gravel 50 or similar stone,which envelops a 4″ A.D.S. flexible and coiled perforated piping 52. Thetrench 44 is covered with a vapor barrier material 54 and finished tograde with a cement layer 56. To aid in drainage, a rippled materialunder the vapor barrier can direct water from the bleeder hole 46 intothe trench 44.

This interior drain system directs water from the pipe 52, where itflows to an area outside of the enclosed space, or to a pump (not shown)that pumps the water outside the basement.

This drain system works well, but one feature improves its performance.It can readily be seen that when the bleeder holes 46 are punchedthrough to the cells 48 within the block walls 42, water exits moreslowly that it would from on open vessel. The reason for this is backpressure: as water exits the cells through the hole, the space it onceoccupied must immediately be filled by the surrounding air; otherwise avacuum results. As water leaves the cells 48 through the bleeder holes46, atmospheric pressure forces air into the wall 42 to take its place,and slows the water exiting the cells 48. This doesn't prevent the waterfrom exiting the cells 48, but it does slow its flow. (In a differentbut more common context, the flow of liquids exiting a can or bottle isregularly interrupted to allow air to enter, resulting in the familiar‘chug-chug’ sound.)

To minimize back pressure, a second hole 51 connecting the cell 48 (orlarger cell 49 formed of adjacent cells 48) to atmosphere is drilledinto the wall 42. This second hole 51 allows air to enter the cells 48and drive water through the bleeder hole 46.

The problem with this solution is that the second hole 51 often getsclogged with debris. Particularly with cinder block walls, the block 42may crumble around the hole 51 and air flow. Once the second hole 42 isclogged, it becomes useless, and back pressure can prevent or inhibitthe flow of water through the cells 48 into the French drain, causingwater build-up within the cells 48, and potentially damaging thebasement.

SUMMARY

The open vent plug minimizes blockage within the second hole and insureconsistent airflow through the cells to drive water into the bleederhole. The open vent port has a hole therethrough that forms an openingjoining the cells and atmosphere. The vent port preferably has ascreened opening at one or both ends to prevent debris from blocking thesecond hole, and sidewalls of the open vent port prevent the wall fromcrumbling into the hole and blocking airflow therethrough. The screenprevents insects from entering. This airflow also allows for continuousventilation, thus airing out the walls after periods of heavy rain.Other features of the invention are discussed below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

Further features and advantages of the invention will become clearerfrom the description of some preferred embodiments, made with referenceto the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a partial cross section through a wall, floor, and drainsystem of the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the inventive open vent port.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the open vent port of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the open vent port of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross section through a wall, floor, and drainsystem showing the open vent port of FIG. 1 installed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIGS. 2-5 show the open vent port 10 according to the invention. Theopen vent port 10 has an elongated body 12 with an open channel 18extending longitudinally therethrough that joins two open ends 14, 16.The channel 18 also has at least one of screens 20, 20 a to keep it freeof debris.

The open vent port 10 has a first lip 22 extending from the open end 14away from the body 12. This first lip 22 overlaps a surface of the wall42 to prevent debris from entering the hole from inside the basement.

The open vent port 10 also has at least one second lip 24, preferablythree lips 24, that press against the interior surface of the secondhole 51 to secure the open vent port 10 in place within the wall 42. Asbest seen from the Figures, the first and second lips 22, 24 arepreferably convex in opposite directions; the second lips being convexto aid in installation.

As best seen in FIG. 5, during a method of waterproofing using the openvent port 10, the open vent port 10 is pressed into the second hole 51to join the open cells 48 to atmosphere (or at least the pressure withinthe basement). Once installed, the open vent port 10 and screens 20, 20a keep the channel 18 through the port 10 open. The result of thechannel 18 remaining open and free of debris is that it relieves backpressure and allows air flow throughout the hollow cores of the block.

The open vent port 10 is preferably made of polyethylene. The first lip22 has a preferable diameter of 1.5 inches and 1.25 inches long. Thesedimensions are chosen as the preferred dimensions based on their beingcommonly used with block walls 42.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be madeto the construction of the invention without departing from the spiritof it. It is intended, therefore, that the description and drawings beinterpreted as illustrative and that the following claims are to beinterpreted in keeping with the spirit of the invention, rather than thespecific details set forth.

It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended tocover all the generic and specific features of the invention hereindescribed and all statements of the scope of the invention that, as amatter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

1. A method for waterproofing a below- or at-grade room comprisinginstalling an open vent port for insertion comprising: an elongated bodyhaving an open channel extending longitudinally therethrough that joinstwo open ends; a screen spanning the open channel; a convex annularfirst lip extending from the end with the screen towards the end withoutthe screen; and a convex annular second lip extending from the bodylocated between the two open ends, the second lip having a first endwith a first diameter and a second end with a second diameter that isless than the first diameter, the first end being arranged closer to theconvex first lip than the second end.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinthe screen is located proximate to at least one of the two open ends. 3.The method of claim 1 further comprising a convex third lip extendingfrom the body located between the convex first lip and the convex secondlip.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second lips areconvex in opposite directions.
 6. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising a second screen spanning the open channel.
 7. The open ventport of claim 6 wherein the second screen is located at the end of thebody opposite the end with the screen.
 8. The method of claim 1, whereinan end proximate the screen has a larger circumference than the otherend.
 9. The open vent port of claim 1, wherein the elongated body is1.25 inches long.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the elongated body,convex annular first lip, and convex annular second lip are comprised ofa single piece of polyethylene, and wherein the convex annular first lipand convex annular second lip are convex in opposite directions from oneanother
 11. A method of waterproofing a below- or at-grade room having afloor and walls having an open cell therein, the method comprising thefollowing steps: forming a trench through the floor adjacent to thewall; drilling at least one bleeder hole into the wall into the opencell; drilling at least one second hole into the wall into the opencell; installing an open vent port comprising an elongated body havingan open channel extending longitudinally therethrough that joins twoopen ends; a screen spanning the open channel; a convex annular firstlip extending from the end with the screen towards the end without thescreen; and a convex annular second lip extending from the body locatedbetween the two open ends, the second lip having a first end with afirst diameter and a second end with a second diameter that is less thanthe first diameter, the first end being arranged closer to the convexfirst lip than the second end into the wall; wherein the second holerelieves back pressure through the bleeder hole when water flows fromthe open cell through the bleeder hole; wherein the second hole providesventilation to the open cell.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein thebleeder hole is drilled into the wall in an area within the trench. 13.The method of claim 11, wherein the wall comprises multiple stackedblocks, each having the open cell, wherein adjacent blocks' cells format least one larger open cell within the wall, and wherein the bleederhole and the second hole both communicate with the larger open cell. 14.The method of claim 11, further comprising multiple bleeder holes,second holes, and open vent ports.
 15. The method of claim 11, furthercomprising the step of installing stone into the trench.
 16. The methodof claim 15, further comprising the step of installing a perforated pipewithin the trench, and wherein the stone covers the perforated pipe. 17.The method of claim 16, wherein the perforated pipe directs water fromwithin the trench outside of the room.
 18. The method of claim 11,further comprising the step of installing a vapor barrier material thatcovers the trench.
 19. The method of claim 11, further comprising thestep of covering the trench is covered with a cement mixture.
 20. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the open vent port further comprises a firstlip extending from at least one of the two open ends away from the body,and the lip extends outside of the wall.